Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr
April 11 is the feast day of Saint Stanislaus of Kraków - a beloved Polish bishop and martyr.
His Early Life
St. Stanislaus was born in July of 1030 near Kraków, Poland. He was born into a family of nobility. He was also blessed in that his family practiced the Catholic faith with great zeal and devotion. Stanislaus took after his parents quickly; creating strong habits of giving his time and money to the Church and to the poor. St. Stanislaus was always a good student - studying first in Poland and then moving to study theology and law in Paris.
Stanislaus' parents passed away soon after he graduated, leaving him with a very large inheritance. It is recorded that Stanislaus quickly gave it away to the poor in his area, showing his complete detachment from worldly things. He then entered the seminary and was ordained a priest. He was beloved in Kraków and was known for his strong leadership and preaching gifts. When the Bishop of Kraków, Bishop Lambert Zula, passed away, Stanislaus was chosen to take his place.
Bishop of Kraków
Stanislaus stepped into this new role in 1071, at the young age of 42. As Bishop, Stanislaus still had the fiery passion against immorality and evils of the world, which came through in his preaching. He even condemned immoralities of King Boleslaus, Poland's ruler. There was much civil unrest in Poland at this time, with many people disapproving of King Boleslaus. Soon enough, Bishop Stanislaus excommunicated Boleslaus for his wrongs.
Enraged, Boleslaus ordered three of his soldiers to find and kill Boleslaus. When the soldiers refused to carry out Boleslaus' order, he took matters into his own hands. While Bishop Stanislaus was celebrating Mass, Boleslaus killed him with his own sword.
Saint Stanislaus' Legacy
After seeing the way he stood up to King Boleslaus, Bishop Stanislaus quickly became an inspiration for Poland. Stanislaus was able to unite the people of Poland and be a guiding light of truth when it was needed most.
St. Stanislaus was canonized by Pope Innocent IV on September 17, 1253 in Assisi, Italy.
Prayer
Saint Stanislaus, your life of virtue, courage, and charity was a gift to the Church of Poland. Please pray that I will always prefer persecution over sin, and a holy life over fear of death. May I become a true witness of my faith and a source of inspiration to others. Saint Stanislaus, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.
- Prayer from My Catholic Life blog
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